Rand Paul up 5 over Clinton in new poll, 'the man to beat in Colorado'

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has a 5 percentage point lead in Colorado over Democrat Hillary Clinton in a possible 2016 presidential matchup, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll.

"The road to the White House has many twists and turns, but right now, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul is the man to beat in Colorado," said Tim Malloy, the poll’s assistant director. Colorado is often a swing state; President Barack Obama won it in 2012 with 51.4 percent of the vote.

The Quinnipiac survey, released Thursday, showed Paul, a Republican, up 48 to 43 percent. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is tied with Clinton at 42 percent. Clinton fares better against other possible Republican challengers. She tops former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, 45 to 40 percent, and beats former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, 45 to 44 percent.

Paul wins the favorability poll, seen that way by 41 percent and unfavorably by 30 percent. Huckabee has a 37 to 30 percent edge, while Clinton divides the electorate at 48 to 47 percent.

From April 15 - 21, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,298 registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.7 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones.